Inbred corn line LLH37

ABSTRACT

An inbred corn line, designated LLH37, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line LLH37, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line LLH37 with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line LLH37 with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material of one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line LLH37, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line LLH37 and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims a priority based on U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/143,218, which was filed in the U.S. Patent andTrademark Office on Jan. 8, 2009, the entire disclosure of which ishereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of corn breeding. In particular, theinvention relates to an inbred corn line designated LLH37 that includesplants and seeds of inbred corn line LLH37. Methods for producing cornplants, such as inbred corn plants, hybrid corn plants, or other cornplants, as by crossing inbred corn line LLH37 with itself or anydifferent corn plant are an integral part of this invention as are theresultant corn plants including the plant parts and seeds. Thisinvention further relates to methods for producing LLH37-derived cornplants, to methods for producing male sterile LLH37 corn plants and tomethods for regenerating such plants from tissue cultures of regenerablecells as well as the plants obtained therefrom. Methods for producing acorn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes andto the transgenic corn plants produced by that method are also a part ofthis invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Corn (Zea mays L.) is the most important and abundant crop produced inthe United States. Corn is used as human food, livestock feed, and asraw material in industry. The food uses of corn include kernels forhuman consumption, dry milling products such as grits, meal and flour,and wet milling products such as corn starch, corn syrups, and dextrose.Corn oil recovered from corn germ is a by-product of both dry and wetmilling industries. Both grain and non-grain portions of corn plants areused extensively as livestock feed, primarily for beef cattle, dairycattle, hogs, and poultry.

Corn is used to produce ethanol while corn starch and flour are used inthe paper and textile industries. Corn is also used in adhesives,building materials, foundry binders, laundry starches, explosives,oil-well muds, and other mining applications. Plant parts other than thegrain of corn are also used in industry, for example, stalks and husksare made into paper and wallboard and cobs are used for fuel and to makecharcoal.

The goal of a corn breeder is to improve a corn plant's performance andtherefore, its economic value by combining various desirable traits intoa single plant. Improved performance is manifested in many ways. Higheryields of corn plants contribute to a more abundant food supply, a moreprofitable agriculture and a lower cost of food products for theconsumer. Improved quality makes corn kernels more nutritious. Improvedplant health increases the yield and quality of the plant and reducesthe need for application of protective chemicals. Adapting corn plantsto a wider range of production areas achieves improved yield andvegetative growth. Improved plant uniformity enhances the farmer'sability to mechanically harvest corn.

Corn is a monoecious plant, i.e., corn has imperfect flowers—male,pollen-producing flowers and separate female, pollen receiving flowerson the same plant. The male flowers are located at the top of the plantin the tassel, and the female flowers are located about midway up thestalk in the ear shoot. Each male flower has three anthers and eachfemale flower includes a husk that envelops the cob and silks thatemerge from the end of the cob and husks. Pollination is consummated bytransfer of pollen from the tassels of the male flower to the silks ofthe female flowers.

Because corn has separate male and female flowers, corn breedingtechniques take advantage of the plant's ability to be bred by bothself-pollination and cross-pollination. Self-pollination occurs whenpollen from the male flower is transferred to a female flower on thesame plant. Cross-pollination occurs when pollen from the male flower istransferred to a female flower on a different plant.

A plant is sib-pollinated (a type of cross-pollination) when individualswithin the same family or line are used for pollination (i.e., pollenfrom a family member plant is transferred to the silks of another familymember plant). Self-pollination and sib-pollination techniques aretraditional forms of inbreeding used to develop new inbred corn lines,but other techniques exist to accomplish inbreeding. New inbred cornlines are developed by inbreeding heterozygous plants and practicingselection for superior plants for several generations untilsubstantially homozygous plants are obtained. During the inbreedingprocess with corn, the vigor of the lines decreases and after asufficient amount of inbreeding, additional inbreeding merely serves toincrease seed of the developed inbred. Inbred corn lines are typicallydeveloped for use in the production of hybrid corn lines.

Natural, or open pollination, occurs in corn when wind blows pollen fromthe tassels to the silks that protrude from the tops of the ear shootand may include both self- and cross-pollination. Vigor is restored whentwo different inbred lines are cross-pollinated to produce the firstgeneration (F₁) progeny. A cross between two defined homozygous inbredcorn plants always produces a uniform population of heterozygous hybridcorn plants and such hybrid corn plants are capable of being generatedindefinitely from the corresponding inbred seed supply.

When two different, unrelated inbred corn parent plants are crossed toproduce an F₁ hybrid, one inbred parent is designated as the male, orpollen parent, and the other inbred parent is designated as the female,or seed parent. Because corn plants are monoecious, hybrid seedproduction requires elimination or inactivation of pollen produced bythe female parent to render the female parent plant male sterile. Thisserves to prevent the inbred corn plant designated as the female fromself-pollinating. Different options exist for controlling male fertilityin corn plants such as manual or mechanical emasculation (ordetasseling), genetic male sterility, and application of gametocides.Incomplete removal or inactivation of the pollen in the female parentplant provides the potential for inbreeding, which results in theunwanted production of self-pollinated or sib-pollinated seed.Typically, this seed is unintentionally harvested and packaged withhybrid seed.

The development of new inbred corn plants and hybrid corn plants is aslow, costly, interrelated process that requires the expertise ofbreeders and many other specialists. The development of new hybrid cornvarieties in a corn plant breeding program involves numerous steps,including: (1) selection of parent corn plants (germplasm) for initialbreeding crosses; (2) inbreeding of the selected plants from thebreeding crosses for several generations to produce a series of inbredlines, which individually breed true and are highly uniform; and, (3)crossing a selected inbred line with an unrelated line to produce the F₁hybrid progeny having restored vigor.

Inbred corn plants and other sources of corn germplasm are thefoundation material for all corn breeding programs. Despite theexistence and availability of numerous inbred corn lines and othersource germplasm, a continuing need still exists for the development ofimproved germplasm because existing inbred parent corn lines lose theircommercial competitiveness over time. The present invention addressesthis need by providing a novel inbred parent corn line designated LLH37,which imparts improved yield, stalk and root quality for its maturitycompared to other inbreds with the same testers. To protect and toenhance yield production, trait technologies and seed treatment optionsprovide additional crop plan flexibility and cost effective controlagainst insects, weeds and diseases, thereby further enhancing thepotential of hybrids with LLH37 as a parent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION I. Definitions of PlantCharacteristics

In the description and examples that follow, a number of terms are used.To provide a clear and consistent understanding of the specification andclaims, including the scope to be given such terms, the followingdefinitions are provided.

Anther Color: Recorded at the time of pollen shed when anthers areactively dehiscing pollen as a standard color name and/or MUNSELL® colorcode.

Anthocyanin in Brace Roots: This is a relative rating of the expressionof anthocyanin in the brace roots (1=none, 2=faint, 3=50%purpling/moderate, and 4=dark) recorded two weeks after flowering.

Aphid Attractiveness: This represents the relative level of aphidnumbers found on an emerging tassel up to and during the period ofpollen shed rated as high, average or none.

ATW: Adjusted Test Weight is the harvested grain weight in pounds perbushel of one pound of one pound of No. 2 yellow corn adjusted to 15.5%moisture according to the formula: [(100%−actual moisture%)/(100%−15.5%)×(weight of unadjusted grain)] The standard test weightfor No. 2 yellow corn is 56 pounds per bushel.

Cob Color: Recorded as a standard color name and MUNSELL® color code.

CTPS Index: This is an index calculated with values for yield, moisture,stalk lodging and root lodging, compared to the average of apredetermined set of check hybrids according to the formula:[(Yield/average check yield)×100+2.5 (average moisture ofchecks−moisture)+0.5 (average % root lodging of checks−% rootlodging)+1.5 (average % stalk lodging of checks−% stalk lodging)].

Dropped Ears: This represents the actual number of dropped ears per plotdetached from the plant that have fallen to the ground at harvest.

Ears Per Stalk: The total number of ears with seed set on each plant.

Ear Height: For inbred plants, this is the distance in centimeters fromthe ground to the highest placed ear node point of attachment of the earshank of the uppermost developed ear on the stalk. For hybrid plants,this is the distance in centimeters from the ground to the base of theuppermost developed ear on the stalk.

Ear Leaves: Ear leaves are defined as one or more distinct ear leaves onear husks at flowering (usually >0.25 to 0.5 inch) represented aspresent or absent. This characteristic may be difficult to determine,may be environmentally influenced, and is not recorded as present unlessthe ear leaves are present in sufficient size or on several plants inthe middle of the row.

Ear Length: This is the length of an unhusked ear from the butt to

Ear Position at Dry Husk: This represents the relative direction of thetop ear observed 65 days after pollinating while still attached to theplant rated as 1=upright, 2=horizontal and 3=pendant.

Ear Taper: This represents the relative taper of the unshelled ear ratedas slight or nearly straight (1), average (2), or extreme or conical(3).

Endosperm Type: Endosperm is the material in the region of the kernelbetween the germ and the seed coat and is rated on the following scale:1=sweet, 2=extra sweet (contains SH2 gene), 3=normal starch, 4=highamylase starch, 5=waxy, 6=high protein, 7=high lysine, 8=supersweet(SE), 9=high oil and 10=other-specify.

Environments: This is the number of different geographic locations whereplants are grown together and in the same experiment.

50% Pollen (GDU from Planting): The number of GDUs after planting when50% of the plants are shedding pollen.

50% Silk (GDU from Planting): The number of GDUs after emergence when50% of the plants have extruded silk.

GDU: Growing degree unit(s) is a measure of the number of GDUs or heatunits used in the tracking of flowering and maturation of inbred linesand hybrids. Growing degree units are calculated using the BargerMethod, wherein the heat units for a 24-hour period are represented bythe formula: [(Max. temp+Min. temp)/2]−50 and the highest maximumtemperature used is 86° F. and the lowest minimum temperature used is50° F.

Genotype: Refers to the genetic constitution of a corn plant or cell.

Glume Band: Recorded as absent or, if present, as a standard color nameand MUNSELL® color code.

Hard Endosperm Color: This is the color of the region of the endospermbetween the floury endosperm and the aleurone layer in yellow dent cornrecorded as a standard color name and a MUNSELL® color code.

Husk Tightness: This represents the relative ability for husks to beremoved either manually or through commercial production husking beds 65days after flowering, rated as loose (2), average (5) and 8 (tight).

Kernel Crown Color: This is the color of the portion of the kerneldistal to the tip cap recorded as a standard color name and a MUNSELL®color code.

K Row Alignment: This is kernel row alignment and is scored as straight,slightly curved or spiral determined by standing the unshelled ear onits base and looking down at the tip.

Kernel Rows: The presence (distinct) or absence (indistinct) of definedkernel rows.

Lateral Tassel Branches: This represents the number of primary lateraltassel branches that originate from the central spike.

Leaf Color: Recorded as a standard color name and a MUNSELL® color code.

Moisture: Actual percentage of moisture of the grain at harvest.

MUNSELL® Code: This refers to a standard color reference, the MUNSELL®Color Chart for Plant Tissues.

Number of Kernel Rows: This is the average total number of kernel rowson the ear. If the rows are indistinct, then this value is an averagenumber of kernels located around the circumference of the ear at themid-point of its length.

Number of Leaves Above Ear: This represents the average number of leavesabove the uppeermost ear leaf.

Phenotype: Refers to the physical or external appearance of a cornplant.

Plant Height: For inbred plants, this is the plant height in centimetersfrom the ground to the tip of the tassel. For hybrid plants, this is theplant height in centimeters from the ground to the top leaf collar.

Population: This is the planting density on a per acre basis.

Root Lodging: This is the percentage of corn plants that root lodge,i.e., those plants that lean from the vertical axis at an approximate30° angle or greater. For inbred plants, this measurement is taken justbefore anthesis whereas for hybrids, this measurement is taken atharvest.

Silk Color: Recorded three days after emergence using a standard colorname and a MUNSELL® color code.

Stalk Lodging: This is the percentage of corn plants that stalk lodge,i.e., those plants that are broken over, at or below the top ear node atharvest.

Standard Color Names: These color names include light green, mediumgreen, dark green, very dark green, green-yellow, pale yellow, yellow,yellow orange, salmon, pink-orange, pink, light red, cherry red, red,red and white, pale purple, purple, colorless, white, white capped,buff, tan, brown, bronze and variegated.

Tassel Length: This is the length of the tassel from the top leaf collarto the tassel tip measured in centimeters.

Tassel Type: This is the tassel branch shape recorded as erect orspreading. The angle of the base of each tassel branch is used toindicate the direction of the branches. Erect longer or lighter tasselsthat droop over on the tip are classified as erect.

Years: This refers to the number of calendar years included in acomparison.

Yield: Yield of grain at harvest in bushels per acre adjusted to 15.0%moisture according to the formula: [[(100−% grainmoisture)×109.815×weight (lbs)]/row length (feet)/row width (inches)/(#of harvested rows)].

Yield/Moisture: This is yield/moisture.

II. Inbred Corn Line LLH37

A. Inbred Corn Plant LLH37

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, provided is anew yellow dent inbred corn seed and plants thereof designated LLH37.The present invention further relates to a method for producing inbredcorn seeds that includes, but is not limited to, the steps of plantingseed of inbred corn LLH37 in proximity to itself or to different seedfrom a same family or line, growing the resulting corn plants underself-pollinating or sib-pollinating conditions with adequate isolation,and harvesting resultant seed obtained from such inbred plants usingtechniques standard in the agricultural arts such as would be necessaryto bulk-up seed such as for hybrid production. The present inventionalso relates to inbred seed produced by such a method.

In any cross between inbred corn plant LLH37 and another inbred cornplant, LLH37 may be designated as the male (pollen parent) or the female(seed parent). Optionally, the seed of inbred corn line LLH37 may bepre-treated to increase resistance of the seed and/or seedlings tostressed conditions, and further, the corn plants or surrounding soilmay be treated with one or more agricultural chemicals before harvest.Such agricultural chemicals may include herbicides, insecticides,pesticides, and the like. The present invention also relates to a cornplant that expresses substantially all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of inbred corn plant LLH37 and to asubstantially homogenous population of corn plants having all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of inbred corn plantLLH37. Any corn plants produced from inbred corn plant LLH37 arecontemplated by the present invention and are, therefore, within thescope of this invention. A description of physiological andmorphological characteristics of corn plant LLH37 is presented in Table1.

TABLE 1 Inbred Trait Value 50% Pollen (GDU from Planting) 1422 50% Silk(GDU from Planting) 1458 Anther Color (standard) 5 (Green-Yellow) AntherColor (MUNSELL ®) 2.5GY 8/4 Glume Color (standard) 1 (Light Green) GlumeColor (MUNSELL ®) 2.5GY 8/6 Silk Color (standard) 1 and 11 (Light Greenand Pink) Silk Color (MUNSELL ®) 2.5GY 8/4 Glume Band (Pr/Abs) Abs AphidAttractiveness (H, Av, N) No Plant Height (cm) 185 Ear Height (cm) 70Ear Leaves (Pr/Abs) Abs Anthocyanin in brace roots 1 Leaf Color(standard) 3 (Dark Green) Leaf Color (MUNSELL ®) 5GY 4/4 Number ofLeaves Above Ear 6 Tassel Length (cm) 48 Lateral Tassel Branches 1 EarsPer Stalk 1 Ear Position at Dry Husk 3 Husk Tightness 2 Ear Length (cm)15 Number of Kernel Row 16 Kernel Rows (1 = distinct, 1 2 = indistinct)K Row Alignment 2 Ear Taper (1-slight, 2-average, 2 3-extreme) EndospermType 3 Cob Color (standard) 14 (Red) Cob Color (MUNSELL ®) 10R 4/8 HardEndosperm Color (standard) 8 (Yellow Orange) Hard Endosperm Color(MUNSELL ®) 7. 5YR 6/8 Kernel Crown Color (standard) 7 (Yellow) KernelCrown Color (MUNSELL ®) 2.5Y 8/10 Tassel Type 1

It should be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that,for the quantitative characteristics identified in Table 1, the valuespresented are typical values. These values may vary due to theenvironment and accordingly, other values that are substantiallyequivalent are also within the scope of the invention.

Inbred corn line LLH37 shows uniformity and stability within the limitsof environmental influence for the traits described in Table 1. InbredLLH37 has been self-pollinated and ear-rowed a sufficient number ofgenerations with careful attention paid to uniformity of plant type toensure the homozygosity and phenotypic stability necessary to use inlarge-scale, commercial production. The line has been increased both byhand and sib-pollination in isolated fields with continued observationsfor uniformity. No variant traits have been observed or are expected inLLH37.

The present invention also relates to one or more corn plant parts ofinbred corn plant LLH37. Corn plant parts include plant cells, plantprotoplasts, plant cell tissue cultures from which corn plants can beregenerated, plant DNA, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells thatare intact in plants or parts of plants, such as embryos, pollen,ovules, flowers, seeds, kernels, ears, cobs, leaves, husks, stalks,roots, root tips, brace roots, lateral tassel branches, anthers,tassels, glumes, silks, tillers, and the like.

B. Inbred Corn Seed Designated LLH37

A corn kernel is composed of four structural parts: (1) the pericarp,which is a protective outer covering (also known as bran or hull); (2)the germ (also known as an embryo); (3) the endosperm; and, (4) the tipcap, which is the point of attachment to the cob. Another aspect of thepresent invention is one or more parts of inbred corn seed LLH37, suchas the pericarp of inbred corn seed LLH37 or the germ and/or theendosperm of inbred corn seed LLH37, which remain upon removal of thepericarp and adhering remnants of the seed coat.

Inbred corn seed designated LLH37 may be provided as a substantiallyhomogenous composition of inbred corn seed designated LLH37, that is, acomposition that consists essentially of inbred corn seed LLH37. Such asubstantially homogenous composition of inbred corn seed LLH37 issubstantially free from significant numbers of other inbred and/orhybrid seed so that the inbred seed forms from about 90% to about 100%of the total seed. Preferably, a substantially homogenous composition ofthe inbred corn seed LLH37 contains from about 98.5%, 99%, or 99.5% toabout 100% of the inbred seed, as measured by seed grow outs. Thesubstantially homogenous composition of inbred corn seed of theinvention may be separately grown to provide substantially homogenouspopulations of inbred corn plants. However, even if a population ofinbred corn plants is present in a field with other different cornplants, such as in a commercial seed-production field of single-crosshybrid corn planted in a ratio of 1 male pollinator row to 4 femaleseed-parent rows, such a population would still be considered to bewithin the scope of the present invention.

Corn yield is affected by the conditions to which seeds and seedlings(young plants grown from seeds) are exposed. Seeds and seedlings may beexposed to one of, or a combination of, for example, cold, drought,salt, heat, pollutants, and disease, all of which are conditions thatpotentially retard or prevent the growth of crops therefrom. Forexample, temperature extremes are typical in the upper Midwest region ofthe United States. Furthermore, diseases evolved from pathogens anddeterioration caused by fungi are potentially harmful to seeds andseedlings. Thus, it is desirable to treat seeds as by coating orimpregnating the seeds with compositions that render the seeds andseedlings grown therefrom more hardy when exposed to such adverseconditions.

Accordingly, another aspect of the present invention relates to a coatedand/or impregnated seed or corn inbred line designated LLH37 and tocoated and/or impregnated seed derived therefrom. Various agents havebeen used to treat seeds to increase resistance of the plants tostressed conditions, such as cold, drought, salt, and fungi. Such agentsinclude, for example, sodium methylphenyl-pentadienate, trichloroaceticacid, polyoxyalkylene-organo-siloxane block copolymer, 5-aminolevulinicacid, salicylic acid, thiamethoxam, potassium chloride, and polyvinylalcohol and are useful alone, or in combination in the presentinvention.

When pre-treating seeds according to the present invention such asbefore the seeds are planted, the seeds are contacted with thecomposition of interest, as by coating seeds, spraying seeds, andsoaking seeds or a combination thereof, by methods well known to thoseskilled in the art.

C. Deposit Information

Applicants have made a deposit of at least 2,500 seeds of inbred cornplant LLH37 with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), Manassas,Va. 20110, USA, under ATCC Accession No. PTA-9808. The seeds depositedwith the ATCC on Feb. 10, 2009 were taken from a deposit maintained byAgrigenetics, Inc., d/b/a Mycogen Seeds, since prior to the filing dateof this application. Access to this deposit will be available during thependency of the application to the Commissioner of Patents andTrademarks and persons determined by the Commissioner to be entitledthereto upon request. Upon allowance of any claims in the application,the applicant(s) will maintain and will make this deposit available tothe public pursuant to the Budapest Treaty.

III. Processes of Preparing Novel Corn Plants

A. Novel Inbred Corn Plants Obtained from Inbred LLH37

Various breeding schemes may be used to produce new inbred corn linesfrom LLH37. In one method, generally referred to as the pedigree method,LLH37 may be crossed with another different corn plant such as a secondinbred parent corn plant, which either itself exhibits one or moreselected desirable characteristic(s) or imparts selected desirablecharacteristic(s) to a hybrid combination. Examples of potentiallydesired characteristics include greater yield, better stalks, betterroots, reduced time to crop maturity, better agronomic quality, highernutritional value, higher starch extractability or starchfermentability, resistance and/or tolerance to insecticides, herbicides,pests, heat and drought, and disease, and uniformity in germinationtimes, stand establishment, growth rate, maturity and kernel size. Ifthe two original parents corn plants do not provide all the desiredcharacteristics, then other sources can be included in the breedingpopulation. Elite inbred lines, that is, pure breeding, homozygousinbred lines, can also be used as starting materials for breeding orsource populations from which to develop inbred lines.

Thereafter, resulting seed is harvested and resulting superior progenyplants are selected and selfed or sib-mated in succeeding generations,such as for about five to about seven or more generations, until ageneration is produced that no longer segregates for substantially allfactors for which the inbred parents differ, thereby providing a largenumber of distinct, pure-breeding inbred lines.

In another embodiment for generating new inbred corn plants, generallyreferred to as “backcrossing,” one or more desired traits may beintroduced into inbred parent corn plant LLH37 (the recurrent parent) bycrossing the LLH37 plants with another corn plant (referred to as thedonor or non-recurrent parent) that carries the gene(s) encoding theparticular trait(s) of interest to produce F₁ progeny plants. Bothdominant and recessive alleles may be transferred by backcrossing. Thedonor plant may also be an inbred, but in the broadest sense can be amember of any plant variety or population cross-fertile with therecurrent parent. Next, F₁ progeny plants that have the desired traitare selected. Then, the selected progeny plants are crossed with LLH37to produce backcross progeny plants. Thereafter, backcross progenyplants comprising the desired trait and the physiological andmorphological characteristics of corn inbred line LLH37 are selected.This cycle is repeated for about one to about eight cycles, preferablyfor about three or more times in succession to produce selected higherbackcross progeny plants that comprise the desired trait and all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of corn inbred lineLLH37 listed in Table 1, as determined at the 5% significance level whengrown in the same environmental conditions. Exemplary desired trait(s)include insect resistance, cytoplasmic male sterility, enhancednutritional quality, waxy starch, herbicide resistance, yield stability,yield enhancement and resistance to bacterial, fungal and viral disease.One of ordinary skill in the art of plant breeding would appreciate thata breeder uses various methods to help determine which plants should beselected from the segregating populations and, ultimately, which inbredlines will be used to develop hybrids for commercialization. In additionto the knowledge of the germplasm and other skills the breeder uses, apart of the selection process is dependent on experimental designcoupled with the use of statistical analysis. Experimental design andstatistical analysis are used to help determine which plants, whichfamily of plants, and, finally, which inbred lines and hybridcombinations are significantly better or different for one or moretraits of interest. Experimental design methods are used to assess errorso that differences between two inbred lines or two hybrid lines can bemore accurately determined. Statistical analysis includes thecalculation of mean values, determination of the statisticalsignificance of the sources of variation, and the calculation of theappropriate variance components. Either a five or a one percentsignificance level is customarily used to determine whether a differencethat occurs for a given trait is real or due to the environment orexperimental error. One of ordinary skill in the art of plant breedingwould know how to evaluate the traits of two plant varieties todetermine if there is no significant difference between the two traitsexpressed by those varieties. For example, see W. Fehr, Principles ofCultivar Development, p. 261-286 (1987), which is incorporated herein byreference. Mean trait values may be used to determine whether traitdifferences are significant, and preferably the traits are measured onplants grown under the same environmental conditions.

This method results in the generation of inbred corn plants withsubstantially all of the desired morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of the recurrent parent and the particular transferredtrait(s) of interest. Because such inbred corn plants are heterozygousfor loci controlling the transferred trait(s) of interest, the lastbackcross generation would subsequently be selfed to provide purebreeding progeny for the transferred trait(s).

Backcrossing may be accelerated by the use of genetic markers such asSSR (Short Sequence Repeat), RFLP (Restriction Fragment LengthPolymorphism), SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) or AFLP (AmplifiedFragment Length Polymorphism) markers to identify plants with thegreatest genetic complement from the recurrent parent.

Direct selection may be applied where a single locus acts as a dominanttrait, such as the herbicide resistance trait. For this selectionprocess, the progeny of the initial cross are sprayed with the herbicidebefore the backcrossing. The spraying eliminates any plants that do nothave the desired herbicide resistance characteristic, and only thoseplants that have the herbicide resistance gene are used in thesubsequent backcross. In the instance where the characteristic beingtransferred is a recessive allele, it may be necessary to introduce atest of the progeny to determine if the desired characteristic has beensuccessfully transferred. The process of selection, whether direct orindirect, is then repeated for all additional backcross generations.

It should be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art thatbackcrossing can be combined with pedigree breeding, as where inbredLLH37 is crossed with another corn plant, the resultant progeny arecrossed back to inbred LLH37 and thereafter, the resulting progeny ofthis single backcross are subsequently inbred to develop new inbredlines. This combination of backcrossing and pedigree breeding is usefulas when recovery of fewer than all of the LLH37 characteristics thanwould be obtained by a conventional backcross are desired.

In an additional embodiment of the present invention, new inbred cornplants can be developed by a method generally referred to as haploidbreeding. In this methodology, haploid plants are generated fromdiploid, heterozygous corn plants that result from crossing inbred cornplant LLH37 with another, different corn plant. Such haploid corn plantsmay be generated by methods known to those skilled in the art such as byculturing haploid anthers or embryos from a diploid plant. Alternately,such haploid corn plant may be generated by crossing the diploidheterozygous corn plant with a corn plant that comprises ahaploid-inducing gene, such as the mutant gene “indeterminategametophyte” (ig), which, when present in the female parent, results inoffspring with a greatly enhanced frequency of haploids of both maternaland paternal origin. Thereafter, homozygous diploid plants are producedby the doubling of a set of chromosomes (1N) from a haploid plantgenerated by self-pollination such as through use of a doubling agent,such as colchicine, nitrous oxide gas, heat treatment and trifluralin.See, e.g., Wan et al., “Efficient Production of Doubled Haploid PlantsThrough Colchicine Treatment of Anther-Derived Maize Callus,”Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 77:889-892, 1989, and U.S. PatentApplication No. 2003/0005479, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,615, issued Nov.14, 2006, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein byreference. The technique of haploid breeding is advantageous because nosubsequent inbreeding is required to obtain a homozygous plant from aheterozygous source. Thus, in another aspect of this invention a newinbred corn plant is developed by a method that includes the steps ofcrossing LLH37 or a hybrid made with LLH37 with another inbred cornplant having a propensity to generate haploids to produce haploidprogeny plants, and selecting desirable inbred corn plants from thehaploid progeny plants.

The present invention also relates to novel corn plants produced by amethod generally referred to as mutation breeding whereby one or morenew traits may be artificially introduced into inbred line LLH37. Thegoal of artificial mutagenesis is to increase the rate of mutation for adesired characteristic. Mutation rates can be increased by manydifferent means including temperature, long-term seed storage, tissueculture conditions, radiation; such as X-rays, Gamma rays (e.g., cobalt60 or cesium 137), neutrons, (products of nuclear fission by uranium 235in an atomic reactor), Beta radiation (emitted from radioisotopes suchas phosphorus 32 or carbon 14), or ultraviolet radiation (preferablyfrom 2500 nm to 2900 nm), or chemical mutagens (such as base analogues(5-bromo-uracil), related compounds (8-ethoxy caffeine), antibiotics(streptonigrin), alkylating agents (sulfur mustards, nitrogen mustards,epoxides, ethylenamines, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfones, lactones),azide, hydroxylamine, nitrous acid, or acridines. Once a desired traitis observed through mutagenesis and selected, the trait may then beincorporated into existing germplasm by traditional breeding techniques.Details of mutation breeding can be found in Principles of CultivarDevelopment, Fehr, 1993 Macmillan Publishing Company, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

The mutagenesis treatment may be applied to various stages of plantdevelopment, including but not limited to, cell cultures, embryos,microspores and shoot apices as well as to corn kernels. By way ofexample, pollen may be mixed with a solution of 1 ml EMS and 100 mlFisher paraffin oil (stock diluted by 1 ml and 15 ml oil solution) everyminute for the first five minutes and then every five minutes for 45minutes to keep the pollen suspended. Thereafter, the pollen/paraffinoil solution is brushed onto the silks of developing ears. A tassel bagis used to cover the ear to prevent contamination. The ear is picked atmaturity and then resultant seeds or the plants therefrom are screenedfor the desired mutant trait(s).

Once inbred lines are created, the next step is to determine if theinbreds have any value. This is accomplished by techniques of measuringthe combining ability of the new inbred plant, as well as theperformance of the line itself. Combining ability refers to a line'scontribution as a parent when crossed with other lines to form hybrids.Specific combining ability (SCA) refers to the ability of a line tocross to another specific inbred to form a hybrid. General combiningability (GCA) refers to the ability of a line to cross to a wide rangeof lines to form hybrids. The methodology of forming hybrids to evaluatean inbred line's contribution as a parent for the purpose of selectingsuperior lines is interchangeably known as experimental, top or testcrossing.

B. Novel Inbred Plants Obtained from a Hybrid Having Inbred LLH37 as aParent

In accordance with processes of the present invention, a hybrid planthaving inbred LLH37 as a parent is crossed with itself or any differentcorn plant such as an inbred corn plant or a hybrid corn plant todevelop a novel inbred line. For example, a hybrid corn plant havinginbred corn plant LLH37 as a parent may be inbred, i.e., crossed toitself or sib-pollinated, and the resulting progeny each selfed forabout five to about seven or more generations, thereby providing a setof distinct, pure-breeding inbred lines, wherein each of the linesreceived all of its alleles from the hybrid corn plant having inbredcorn plant LLH37 as a parent. Double haploid methods can also be used toobtain an inbred corn plant that is homozygous at essentially everylocus, wherein the inbred corn plant received all of its alleles fromthe hybrid corn plant having inbred corn plant LLH37 as a parent. Inother embodiments, a hybrid corn plant having inbred corn plant LLH37 asa parent is crossed with a different corn plant that may include anyinbred corn plant that is not inbred corn plant LLH37, any hybrid cornplant that does not have LLH37 as a parent, another germplasm source, ahaploid or mutation inducing stock, or a trait donor plant, therebyproviding a set of distinct, pure-breeding inbred lines. The resultinginbred lines could then be crossed with other inbred or non-inbred linesand the resulting inbred progeny analyzed for beneficialcharacteristics. In this way, novel inbred lines conferring desirablecharacteristics could be identified.

C. “Chasing Selfs”

Both female and male inbred seed may occasionally be found within acommercial bag of hybrid seed. Chasing the selfs involves identifyinginbred plants within a stand of corn that has been grown from a bag ofhybrid corn seed. Once the seed is planted, the inbred plants may beidentified and selected due to their decreased vigor, i.e., by theirshort stature, narrower leaves, and smaller tassels relative to thehybrid plants that grow from the hybrid seed that predominates in acommercial bag of hybrid seed. By locating the inbred plants, isolatingthem from the rest of the plants, and self-pollinating them (i.e.,“chasing selfs”), a breeder can obtain an inbred line that is identicalto an inbred parent used to produce the hybrid.

Accordingly, another embodiment of the present invention is directed toa method for producing inbred corn plant LLH37 comprising: (a) plantinga collection of seed, such as a collection of seed comprising seed of ahybrid, one of whose parents is inbred corn plant LLH37, the collectionalso comprising seed of the inbred; (b) growing plants from thecollection of seed; (c) identifying inbred parent plants; (d)controlling pollination in a manner that preserves homozygosity of theinbred parent plant; and, (e) harvesting resultant seed. Step (c) mayfurther comprise identifying plants with decreased vigor, i.e., plantsthat appear less robust than the other plants, or identifying plantsthat have a genetic profile in accordance with the genetic profile ofLLH37, such as an SSR genetic profile in accordance with Table 5 herein.Corn plants capable of expressing substantially all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of inbred corn plant LLH37 includecorn plants obtained by chasing selfs from a bag of hybrid seed.

One having skill in the art will recognize that once a breeder hasobtained inbred corn plant LLH37 by chasing selfs from a bag of hybridseed, the breeder can then produce new inbred plants such as bysib-pollinating, i.e., crossing the inbred corn plant LLH37 with anotherinbred corn plant LLH37, or by crossing the inbred corn plant LLH37 witha hybrid corn plant obtained by growing the collection of seed.

IV. Novel Hybrid Plants

A. Novel Hybrid Seeds and Plants

In yet another aspect of the invention, processes are provided forproducing corn seeds or plants, which processes generally comprisecrossing a first parent corn plant with a second parent corn plantwherein at least one of the first parent corn plant or the second parentcorn plant is inbred parent corn plant LLH37. In some embodiments of thepresent invention, the first inbred corn plant is LLH37 and is a femaleand in other embodiments the first inbred corn plant is LLH37 and is amale. These processes may be further exemplified as processes forpreparing hybrid corn seed or plants, wherein a first inbred corn plantis crossed with a second corn plant of a different, distinct variety toprovide a hybrid that has, as one of its parents, the inbred corn plantvariety LLH37. In this case, a second inbred variety is selected thatconfers desirable characteristics when in hybrid combination with thefirst inbred line. In these processes, crossing will result in theproduction of seed. The seed production occurs regardless whether theseed is collected.

Any time the inbred corn plant LLH37 is crossed with another, differentcorn inbred, a first generation (F₁) corn hybrid plant is produced. Assuch, an F₁ hybrid corn plant may be produced by crossing LLH37 with anysecond inbred corn plant. Therefore, any F₁ hybrid corn plant or cornseed that is produced with LLH37 as a parent is part of the presentinvention.

When inbred corn plant LLH37 is crossed with another inbred plant toyield a hybrid, the original inbred can serve as either the maternal orpaternal plant with basically, the same characteristics in the hybrids.Occasionally, maternally inherited characteristics may expressdifferently depending on the decision of which parent to use as thefemale. However, often one of the parental plants is preferred as thematernal plant because of increased seed yield and preferred productioncharacteristics, such as optimal seed size and quality or ease of tasselremoval. Some plants produce tighter ear husks leading to more loss, forexample due to rot, or the ear husk may be so tight that the silk cannotcompletely push out of the tip preventing complete pollination resultingin lower seed yields. There can be delays in silk formation thatdeleteriously affect timing of the reproductive cycle for a pair ofparental inbreds. Seed coat characteristics can be preferable in oneplant, which may affect shelf life of the hybrid seed product. Pollencan shed better by one plant, thus rendering that plant as the preferredmale parent. It is generally preferable to use LLH37 as the male parent.

In embodiments of the present invention, the first step of “crossing”the first and the second parent corn plants comprises planting,preferably in pollinating proximity, seeds of a first inbred corn plantand a second, distinct inbred corn plant. As discussed herein, the seedsof the first inbred corn plant and/or the second inbred corn plant canbe treated with compositions that render the seeds and seedlings growntherefrom more hardy when exposed to adverse conditions.

A further step comprises cultivating or growing the seeds of the firstand second parent corn plants into plants that bear flowers. If theparental plants differ in timing of sexual maturity, techniques may beemployed to obtain an appropriate nick, i.e., to ensure the availabilityof pollen from the parent corn plant designated the male during the timeat which silks on the parent corn plant designated the female arereceptive to the pollen. Methods that may be employed to obtain thedesired nick include delaying the flowering of the faster maturingplant, such as, but not limited to, delaying the planting of the fastermaturing seed, cutting or burning the top leaves of the faster maturingplant (without killing the plant) or speeding up the flowering of theslower maturing plant, such as by covering the slower maturing plantwith film designed to speed up germination and growth or by cutting thetip of a young ear shoot to expose silk.

In a preferred embodiment, the corn plants are treated with one or moreagricultural chemicals as considered appropriate by the grower.

A subsequent step comprises preventing self-pollination orsib-pollination of the plants, i.e., preventing the silks of a plantfrom being fertilized by any plant of the same variety, including thesame plant. This is preferably done in a large-scale production bycontrolling the male fertility, e.g., treating the flowers so as toprevent pollen production or alternatively, using as the female parent amale sterile plant of the first or second parent corn plant (i.e.,treating or manipulating the flowers so as to prevent pollen production,to produce an emasculated parent corn plant or using as a female, acytoplasmic male sterile version of the corn plant). This control mayalso be accomplished in a large-scale production by physical removal ofthe tassel from the female plant, either by pulling the tassel by hand,cutting with a rotary cutter, or pulling with a mechanical tasselpulling machine. In a small-scale production, corn breeder's shoot bags,usually plastic or glassine, applied to cover the ear shoot prior to theextrusion of silks provide effective control of unwantedself-pollination or sib-pollination.

Yet another step comprises allowing cross-pollination to occur betweenthe first and second parent corn plants. When the plants are not inpollinating proximity, this is done by placing a bag, usually paper,over the tassels of the first plant and another shoot bag over the earshoot, prior to the extrusion of silk, of the incipient ear on thesecond plant. The bags are left in place usually overnight. Since pollenstops shedding each day and loses viability and new pollen is shed eachmorning, this assures that the silks are not pollinated from otherpollen sources, that any stray pollen on the tassels of the first plantis dead, and that the only pollen transferred comes from the firstplant. The pollen bag over the tassel of the first plant is then shakenvigorously to enhance release of pollen from the tassels and removedfrom the first plant. Finally, in one continuous motion, the shoot bagis removed from the silks of the incipient ear on the second plant, andthe pollen bag containing the captured pollen is placed over the silksof the incipient ear of the second plant, shaken again to disperse thecaptured pollen, and left in place covering the developing ear toprevent contamination from any unwanted fresh airborne pollen. In alarge-scale production, crossing is accomplished by isolatedopen-pollinated crossing fields, whereby corn plants of the parentdesignated as the female, which are controlled for male fertility, areallowed to be pollinated by other plants of a different corn type wheresuch plants are adjacent to the plants designated as the female parent.

A further step comprises harvesting the seeds, near or at maturity, fromthe ear of the plant that received the pollen. In a particularembodiment, seed is harvested from the female parent plant, and whendesired, the harvested seed can be grown to produce a first generation(F₁) hybrid corn plant.

Yet another step comprises drying and conditioning the seeds, includingthe treating, sizing (or grading) of seeds, and packaging for sale togrowers for the production of grain or forage. As with inbred seed, itmay be desirable to treat hybrid seeds with compositions that render theseeds and seedlings grown therefrom more hardy when exposed to adverseconditions. Mention should be made that resulting hybrid seed is sold togrowers for the production of grain and forage and not for breeding orseed production.

Still further, the present invention provides a hybrid corn plantproduced by growing the harvested seeds produced on the male-sterileplant as well as grain produced by the hybrid corn plant.

A single-cross hybrid is produced when two different inbred parent cornplants are crossed to produce first generation F₁ hybrid progeny.Generally, each inbred parent corn plant has a genotype that complementsthe genotype of the other inbred parent. Typically, the F₁ progeny aremore vigorous then the respective inbred parent corn plants. This hybridvigor, or heterosis, is manifested in many polygenic traits, includingmarkedly improved yields and improved stalks, roots, uniformity andinsect and disease resistance. It is for this reason that single-crossF₁ hybrids are generally the most sought after hybrid. A three-way, ormodified single-cross hybrid is produced from three inbred lines (orsynthetics) where two of the inbred lines are crossed (A×B) and then theresulting F₁ hybrid is crossed with the third inbred (A×B)×C, as where amodified female is used in the cross. A modified female provides anadvantage of improved seed parent yield whereas a modified male improvespollen flow. A double-cross hybrid is produced from four inbred linescrossed in pairs (A×B and C×D), thereby resulting in two F₁ hybrids thatare crossed again. Double-cross hybrids are more common in countrieswherein less demand exists for higher yielding single-cross hybrids.Synthetic populations or crosses are developed by crossing two or moreinbred lines (or hybrids, or germplasm sources) together and thenemploying one of many possible techniques to random mate the progeny.Random mating the progeny is any process used by plant breeders to makea series of crosses that will create a new germplasm pool from which newbreeding lines can be derived. Much of the hybrid vigor exhibited by F₁hybrids is lost in the next generation (F₂). Consequently, seed fromhybrids are not typically used for planting stock.

The utility of the inbred plant LLH37 also extends to crosses withspecies other than the mays species, such as diploperennis, luxurians,and perennis. Commonly, suitable species will be of the familyGraminaceae, and especially of the genera Zea, Tripsacum, Coix,Schleachne, Polytoca, Chionachne, and Trilobachne. Of these, Zea andTripsacum, are most preferred. Varieties of the grain sorghum Sorghumbicolor (L.) Moench can be crossed with inbred corn line LLH37.

B. Physical Description of F₁ Hybrids and F₁ Hybrid Comparison

As mentioned above, test-cross hybrids are progressively eliminatedfollowing detailed evaluations of their phenotype, including formalcomparisons with other commercially successful hybrids. Researchsmall-plot trials and commercial strip trials are used to compare thephenotypes of hybrids grown in as many environments as possible. Theyare performed in many environments to assess overall performance of thenew hybrids and to select optimum growing conditions. Because the cornis grown in close proximity, differential effects of environmentalfactors that affect gene expression, such as moisture, temperature,sunlight, and pests, are minimized. For a decision to be made to advancea hybrid, it is not necessary that the hybrid be better than all otherhybrids. Rather, significant improvements must be shown in at least sometraits that would create value for some applications or markets. Sometest-cross hybrids are eliminated despite being similarly competitiverelative to the current commercial hybrids because the cost to bring anew hybrid to market requires a new product to be a significantimprovement over the existing product offering. Such hybrids may also belicensed to other parties who have a need in their commercial productportfolio.

The present invention provides F₁ hybrid corn plants obtained from thecorn plant LLH37. The physical characteristics of exemplary hybridsproduced using LLH37 as one inbred parent are set forth in Tables 2-4.The results in Table 2 compare inbred Tester A and inbred TesterA/Tester B, when each inbred is crossed to the same tester line. Tables3 and 4 also present a comparison of performance data for hybrids madewith LLH37 as one parent, versus selected commercial hybrids includingPioneer 35Y65 and MYCOGEN® 2E685.

TABLE 2 Characteristic Tester A/LLH37 Tester A/Tester B Yield 204.8197.0 Adjusted Test 31.9 32.5 Weight (ATW) Moisture 20.9 21.1Yield/Moisture 9.8 9.3 CTPS 95.9 93.4 Root Lodging 1.0 5.1 Stalk Lodging3.6 0.8 Dropped Ears 0 0 Years 1 1 Plant Height 57 58 Ear Height 89 91Population 32.0 31.0

TABLE 3 Characteristic Tester A/Tester B Pioneer 35Y65 Yield 197.0 206.9Adjusted Test 32.5 32.4 Weight (ATW) Moisture 21.1 19.3 Yield/Moisture9.3 10.7 CTPS 93.4 103.2 Root Lodging 5.1 1.0 Stalk Lodging 0.8 1.8Dropped Ears 0 0 Years 1 1 Plant Height 58 59 Ear Height 91 87Population 31.0 31.0

TABLE 4 Characteristic Tester A/Tester B Mycogen 2E685 Yield 197.0 211.7Adjusted Test 32.5 32.5 Weight (ATW) Moisture 21.1 20.8 Yield/Moisture9.3 10.2 CTPS 93.4 84.9 Root Lodging 5.1 19.8 Stalk Lodging 0.8 7.0Dropped Ears 0 0 Years 1 1 Plant Height 58 57 Ear Height 91 90Population 31.0 32.0

V. Novel LLH37-Derived Plants

All plants produced using inbred corn plant LLH37 as a parent are withinthe scope of this invention, including plants derived from inbred cornplant LLH37. This includes plants essentially derived from inbred LLH37with the term “essentially derived variety” having the meaning ascribedto such term in 7 U.S.C. §2104(a)(3) of the Plant Variety ProtectionAct, which definition is hereby incorporated by reference. This alsoincludes progeny plant and parts thereof with at least one ancestor thatis inbred corn plant LLH37 and more specifically where the pedigree ofthis progeny includes one, two, three, four and/or five or morecross-pollinations to inbred corn plant LLH37, or a plant that has LLH37as a progenitor. All breeders of ordinary skill in the art maintainpedigree records of their breeding programs. These pedigree recordscontain a detailed description of the breeding process, including alisting of all parental lines used in the breeding process andinformation on how such line was used. Thus, a breeder would know ifLLH37 were used in the development of a progeny line, and would alsoknow how many breeding crosses to a line other than LLH37 were made inthe development of any progeny line. A progeny line so developed maythen be used in crosses with other, different, corn inbreds to producefirst generation F₁ corn hybrid seeds and plants with superiorcharacteristics.

Accordingly, another aspect of the present invention is methods forproducing an inbred corn line LLH37-derived corn plant. This method forproducing a LLH37-derived corn plant, comprises: (a) crossing inbredcorn plant LLH37 with a second corn plant to yield progeny corn seed;and, (b) growing the progeny corn seed, (under plant growth conditions),to yield the LLH37-derived corn plant. Such methods may further comprisethe steps of: (c) crossing the LLH37-derived corn plant with itself oranother corn plant to yield additional LLH37-derived progeny corn seed;(b) growing the progeny corn seed of step (d) (under plant growingconditions), to yield additional LLH37-derived corn plants; and (e)repeating the crossing and growing steps of (c) and (d) from zero toseven times to generate further LLH37-derived corn plants. Stillfurther, this may comprise utilizing methods of haploid breeding andplant tissue culture methods to derive progeny of the LLH37-derived cornplant.

VI. Tissue Cultures and In Vitro Regeneration of Corn Plants

As is well known in this art, tissue culture of corn may be used for thein vitro regeneration of a corn plant. Accordingly, a further aspect ofthe invention relates to tissue cultures of the inbred corn plantdesignated LLH37, to tissue cultures of hybrid and derived corn plantsobtained from LLH37, to plants obtained from such tissue cultures and tothe use of tissue culture methodology in plant breeding. The term“tissue culture” includes a composition comprising isolated cells of thesame type, isolated cells of a different type, or a collection of suchcells organized into parts of a plant. Exemplary tissue cultures areprotoplasts, calli and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts ofplants, such as embryos, pollen, flowers, kernels, ears, cobs, leaves,husks, stalks, roots, root tips, anthers, silk, and the like. In apreferred embodiment, the tissue culture comprises embryos, protoplasts,meristematic cells, pollen, leaves or anthers derived from immaturetissues of these plant parts.

A. Immature Embryo Culture

To obtain immature embryos for callus culture initiation, ears areharvested from a corn plant, e.g., an inbred corn plant LLH37, a hybridcorn plant having LLH37 as a parent or a LLH37-derived corn plant,approximately 9-10 days post-pollination. Initially, harvested ears aresurface sterilized, as by scrubbing with LIQUI-NOX® soap, immersion in70% ethanol for two to three minutes, followed by immersion in 20%commercial bleach (0.1% sodium hypochlorite) for about 30 minutes.

Ears are rinsed in sterile, distilled water, and immature zygoticembryos are aseptically excised with the aid of a dissection microscopeand cultured on a suitable initiation medium. One having ordinary skillin the art would understand that explants from other tissues, such asimmature tassel tissue, intercalary meristems and leaf bases, apicalmeristems, and immature ears may also be the subject of callus cultureinitiation. Tissue culture media typically, contain amino acids, salts,sugars, hormones, and vitamins. Most of the media employed to regenerateinbred and hybrid plants have some similar components; the media differin the composition and proportions of their ingredients depending on theparticular application envisioned. Examples of media suitable forculture of plants cells include, but are not limited to an N6 medium, anMS media, or modifications thereof. A preferred media is a 15Ag10 medium(N6 Complete Medium, PhytoTechnology Laboratories, C167), 1.0 mg/L2,4-D, 20 g/L sucrose, 100 mg/L casein hydrolysate (enzymatic digest),25 mM L-proline, 10 mg/L AgNO₃, 2.5 g/L GELRITE®, pH 5.8, for about twoto three weeks with the scutellum facing away from the medium. Tissueshowing the proper morphology, Welter et al., Plant Cell Rep. 14:725-729(1995), is selectively transferred at biweekly intervals onto fresh15Ag10 medium for about six weeks and then is transferred to “4” medium(N6 Complete Medium Phyto 167), 1.0 mg/L 2,4-D, 20 g/L sucrose, 100 mg/Lcasein hydrolysate (enzymatic digest), 6 mM L-proline, 2.5 g/L GELRITE®,pH 5.8, at bi-weekly intervals for approximately two months. Hormonesother than an auxin such as 2,4-D may be employed including dicamba,NAA, BAP, 2-NCA, ABA, and picloram. Modifications of these and otherbasic media may facilitate growth of recipient cells at specificdevelopmental stages.

Regeneration is initiated by transferring callus tissue to acytokinin-based induction medium, “28” (MS Salts, 30 g/L sucrose, 5 mg/LBAP, 0.025 mg/L 2,4-D at a pH of 5.7). Cells are allowed to grow in lowlight (13 μEM⁻² s⁻¹) for one week and then higher light (40 μEM⁻² s⁻¹)for about another week. Regeneration of plants is completed by thetransfer of mature and germinating embryos to a hormone-free medium,followed by the transfer of developed plantlets to soil and growth tomaturity. In a preferred embodiment, the cells are transferred to ahormone-free regeneration medium, “28” lacking plant growth regulators.Thereafter, small (3-5 cm) plantlets are removed and placed into 150mm×25 mm culture tubes containing SHGA (Schenk and Hilldebrandt salts:10 g/L sucrose, 1 g/L myo-inositol, 2 g/L GELRITE®, pH 5.8) medium.

Once plantlets develop a sufficient root and shoot system, they aretransplanted to 4-inch pots containing approximately 0.1 kg ofMETRO-MIX® 360 soil in a growth room or greenhouse. They are grown witha 16-hour photoperiod supplemented by a combination of high pressuresodium and metal halide lamps, and are watered as needed with acombination of three different MIRACLE-GRO® fertilizer formulations. Atthe three to five leaf stage, plants are transferred to five-gallon potscontaining approximately 4 kg METRO-MIX® 360.

Primary regenerants (R₁ plants) are self- or sib-pollinated after anadditional six to ten weeks in five-gallon pots, and R₁ seed iscollected at 40-45 days post-pollination. Alternately, when self- orsib-pollinations are not possible, plants may be outcrossed to eliteinbreds.

It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art thatregenerable cultures, including Type I and Type II cultures, may beinitiated from immature embryos using other methods, such as thosedescribed in, for example, PCT Application WO 95/06128, the disclosureof which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

B. Additional Tissue Cultures and Regeneration

Other means for preparing and maintaining plant tissue cultures are wellknown in the art. By way of example, a tissue culture comprising organssuch as tassels or anthers and pollen (microspores) have been used toproduce regenerated plants (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,322,789 and 5,445,961).Also, meristematic cells (i.e., plant cells capable of continual celldivision and characterized by an undifferentiated cytologicalappearance, normally found at growing points or tissues in plants suchas root tips, stem apices, lateral buds, etc.) can be cultured toregenerate fertile plants (U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,369 the disclosure ofwhich is specifically incorporated herein by reference).

VII. Male Sterility

Methods for controlling male fertility in corn plants offer theopportunity for improved plant breeding, particularly for thedevelopment of corn hybrids, which require the implementation of a malesterility system to prevent the inbred parent plants fromself-pollination.

Accordingly, another aspect of the present invention is male-sterileinbred corn plants designated LLH37 and the production of hybrid cornseed using a male sterility system with such inbred female parent plantsthat are male sterile. In the event that inbred corn line LLH37 isemployed as the female parent, LLH37 can be rendered male-sterile by,for example, removing the tassels or “detasseling” LLH37 parental plantseither manually or by machine. By way of example, alternate strips oftwo corn inbreds may be planted in a field followed by manual ormechanical removal of the pollen-bearing tassels from the designatedfemale inbred. Provided that the female inbreds are sufficientlyisolated from foreign corn pollen sources, the ears of the detasseledinbred will be fertilized only from the other male inbred, and theresulting seed will therefore be hybrid seed.

The laborious and occasionally unreliable detasseling process can beminimized by using cytoplasmic male-sterile (CMS) inbreds. Plants of aCMS inbred are male sterile as a result of factors resulting fromcytoplasmic as opposed to the nuclear genome. Thus, this characteristicis inherited exclusively through the female parent in corn plants sinceCMS plants are fertilized with pollen from another inbred that is notmale-sterile. Pollen from the second inbred may or may not contributegenes that make the hybrid plants male-fertile. Seed from detasseledfertile corn and CMS produced seed of the same hybrid can be blended toensure that adequate pollen loads are available for fertilization whenthe hybrid plants are grown. Conventional backcrossing methodology maybe used to introgress the CMS trait into inbred LLH37.

Alternatively, haploid breeding methods may also be employed to convertinbred LLH37 to CMS sterility. Haploids are plants that contain onlyone-half of the chromosome number present in diploid somatic cells,which are cells other than haploid cells such as those found in thegerm. There are a few stocks or genetic systems in corn that are knownto generate haploids spontaneously. For example, plants are known thatpossess an indeterminate gametophyte (ig) gene (Kermicle, 1969, Science166:1422-1424) that generate haploids. Additionally, a line known as“Stock 6” (see, J. A. Birchler, “Practical Aspects of HaploidProduction,” The Corn Handbook, Freeling and Walbot (eds), pp. 386-388(1996)) possesses a propensity to generate haploids. Moreover, RWS(Roeber and Geiger 2001, submitted to Crop Science), KEMS (Deimling,Roeber, and Geiger, 1997, Vortr. Pflanzenzuchtg 38:203-224), or KMS andZMS (Chalyk, Bylich and Chebotar, 1994, MNL 68:47; Chalyk and Chebotar,2000, Plant Breeding 119:363-364) also represent inducer lines, whichare used to produce haploid plants from any genotype. In a preferredaspect of the present invention, cytoplasmic male sterile female plantsthat possess the ig gene may be used to facilitate the generation ofcytoplasmic male sterile inbred versions of LLH37 of the presentinvention because the selection of haploids and subsequent doublingpermits corn breeders to reach homogeneity more quickly and completely.

Detasseling can also be avoided by the use of chemically induced malesterility in the production of hybrid corn seed. Chemicals that inducemale sterility include gametocides, pollen suppressants, and chemicalhybridizing agents. The general procedure is to use a foliar spraybefore flowering, which inhibits production of viable pollen, but doesnot injure the pistillate reproductive organs or affect seeddevelopment. If the treatment is successful and all of the pollenkilled, self-pollination will not occur in the treated plants, but theflowers will set seed freely from cross-pollination. In such a case, theparent plants used as the male may either not be treated with thechemical agent or may include a genetic factor that causes resistance tothe sterilizing effects of the chemical agent. The use of chemicallyinduced male sterility affects fertility in the plants only for thegrowing season in which the gametocide is applied (see Carlson, GlennR., U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,904).

A further method for controlling male sterility includes the use ofgenes conferring male sterility, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 3,861,709, 3,710,511, 4,654,465, 5,625, 132, and 4,727,219, each ofthe disclosures of which are specifically incorporated herein byreference in their entirety. Both inducible and non-inducible malesterility genes can increase the efficiency with which hybrids are made,in that they eliminate the need to physically emasculate the corn plantused as a female in a given cross.

There are several methods of conferring genetic male sterilityavailable, such as multiple mutant genes at separate locations withinthe genome that confer male sterility, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.4,654,465 and 4,727,219 and chromosomal translocations as described byPatterson in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,861,709 and 3,710,511. These and allpatents referred to are incorporated by reference. In addition to thesemethods, U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,068, discloses a system of nuclear malesterility that includes: identifying a gene that is critical to malefertility; silencing this native gene that is critical to malefertility; removing the native promoter from the essential malefertility gene and replacing it with an inducible promoter; insertingthis genetically engineered gene back into the plant; and thus creatinga plant that is male sterile because the inducible promoter is not “on”resulting in the male fertility gene not being transcribed. Fertility isrestored by inducing, or turning “on,” the promoter, which, in turn,allows the gene that confers male fertility to be transcribed.

Other methods of conferring genetic male sterility exist in the art.These methods use a variety of approaches such as delivering into theplant a gene encoding a cytotoxic substance associated with a maletissue specific promoter or an antisense system in which a gene criticalto fertility is identified and an antisense to that gene is inserted inthe plant (see Fabinjanski et. al, EP089/3010153.8 publication no.329,308 and PCT application PCT/CA90/00037, published as WO 90/08828).

The presence of a male-fertility restorer gene results in the productionof a fully fertile F₁ hybrid progeny. If no restorer gene is present inthe male parent, male-sterile hybrids are obtained. Such hybrids areuseful where the vegetative tissue of the corn plant is used, e.g., forsilage, but in most cases, the seeds will be deemed the most valuableportion of the crop, so fertility of the hybrids in these crops must berestored. Therefore, one aspect of the present invention concerns inbredcorn plant LLH37 comprising a single gene capable of restoring malefertility in an otherwise male-sterile inbred or hybrid plant. Examplesof male-sterility genes and corresponding restorers that could beemployed within the inbred corn plant LLH37 of the invention are wellknown to those of skill in the art of plant breeding and are disclosedin, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,191, 5,689,041, 5,741,684, and5,684,242, the disclosures of which are each specifically incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

VIII. Corn Transformation

With the advent of molecular biological techniques that have allowed theisolation and characterization of genes that encode specific proteinproducts, scientists in the field of plant biology developed a stronginterest in engineering the genome of plants to contain and to expressforeign genes, or additional, or modifed versions of native orendogenous genes (perhaps driven by different promoters) to alter thetraits of a plant in a specific manner. Such foreign, additional and/ormodified genes are referred to herein collectively as “transgenes.” Thepresent invention, in particular embodiments, also relates totransformed versions of the claimed inbred corn line LLH37 containingone or more transgenes.

Plant transformation involves the construction of an expression vectorthat will function in plant cells. Such a vector comprises DNAcomprising a gene under control of, or operatively linked to, aregulatory element. The expression vector may contain one or more suchoperably linked gene/regulatory element combinations. The vector(s) maybe in the form of a plasmid, and can be used, alone or in combinationwith other plasmids, to provide transformed corn plants, usingtransformation methods as described below to incorporate transgenes intothe genetic material of the corn plant(s).

A. Expression Vectors for Corn Transformation/Marker Genes

Expression vectors include at least one genetic marker, operably linkedto a regulatory element that allows transformed cells containing themarker to be either recovered by negative selection, i.e., inhibitinggrowth of cells that do not contain the selectable marker gene, or bypositive selection, i.e., screening for the product encoded by thegenetic marker. Many commonly used selectable marker genes for planttransformation are well known in the transformation arts, and include,for example, genes that code for enzymes that metabolically detoxify aselective chemical agent, which may be an antibiotic or a herbicide, orgenes that encode an altered target that is insensitive to theinhibitor. A few positive selection methods are also known in the art.

One commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is theneomycin phosphotransferase II (nptll) gene, isolated from a bacterialsource, which, when placed under the control of plant regulatorysignals, confers resistance to kanamycin. Fraley et al., Proc. Natl.Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:4803 (1983). Another commonly used selectablemarker gene is the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene, which confersresistance to the antibiotic hygromycin. Van den Elzen et al., PlantMol. Biol. 5:299 (1985).

Additional selectable marker genes of bacterial origin that conferresistance to antibiotics include gentamycin acetyl transferase,streptomycin phosphotransferase, aminoglycoside-3′-adenyl transferase,the bleomycin resistance determinant. Hayford et al., Plant Physiol.86:1216 (1988), Jones et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 210:86 (1987), Svab etal., Plant Mol. Biol. 14:197 (1990), Hille et al., Plant Mol. Biol.7:171 (1986). Other selectable marker genes confer resistance toherbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate or bromoxynil. Comai et al.,Nature 317:741-744 (1985), Gordon-Kamm et al., Plant Cell 2:603-618(1990), and Stalker et al., Science 242:419-423 (1988).

Other selectable marker genes for plant transformation are not ofbacterial origin. These genes include, for example, mouse dihydrofolatereductase, plant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase and plantacetolactate synthase. Eichholtz et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet. 13:67(1987), Shah et al., Science 233:478 (1986), Charest et al., Plant CellRep. 8:643 (1990).

Another class of marker genes for plant transformation require screeningof presumptively transformed plant cells rather than direct geneticselection of transformed cells for resistance to a toxic substance suchas an antibiotic. These genes are particularly useful to quantify orvisualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene in specifictissues and are frequently referred to as reporter genes because theycan be fused to a gene or gene regulatory sequence for the investigationof gene expression. Commonly used genes for screening presumptivelytransformed cells include β-glucuronidase (GUS), β-galactosidase,luciferase and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. R. A. Jefferson, PlantMol. Biol. Rep. 5:387 (1987), Teeri et al., EMBO J. 8:343 (1989), Konczet al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84:131 (1987), De Block et al.,EMBO J. 3:1681 (1984). Another approach to the identification of arelatively rare transformation event has been use of a gene that encodesa dominant constitutive regulator of the Zea mays anthocyaninpigmentation pathway. Ludwig et al., Science 247:449 (1990).

Recently, in vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity that do notrequire destruction of plant tissue have been made available. T. M.Green, Molecular Probes Publication 2908, Imagene pp. 1-4 (1983); andNaleway et al., J. Cell Biol. 115:151a (1991). However, these in vivomethods for visualizing GUS activity have not proven useful for recoveryof transformed cells because of low sensitivity, high fluorescentbackgrounds, and limitations associated with the use of luciferase genesas selectable markers.

More recently, a gene encoding Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) has beenutilized as a marker for gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryoticcells. Chalfie et al., Science 263:802 (1994). GFP and mutants of GFPmay be used as screenable markers.

B. Promoters

Genes included in expression vectors must be driven by a nucleotidesequence comprising a regulatory element, for example, a promoter.Several types of promoters are now well known in the transformationarts, as are other regulatory elements that can be used alone or incombination with promoters.

As used herein “promoter” includes reference to a region of DNA upstreamfrom the start of transcription and involved in recognition and bindingof RNA polymerase and other proteins to initiate transcription. A “plantpromoter” is a promoter capable of initiating transcription in plantcells. Examples of promoters under developmental control includepromoters that preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues,such as leaves, roots, seeds, fibers, xylem vessels, tracheids, orsclerenchyma. Such promoters are referred to as “tissue-preferred.”Promoters that initiate transcription only in certain tissues arereferred to as “tissue-specific.” A “cell type” specific promoterprimarily drives expression in certain cell types in one or more organs,for example, vascular cells in roots or leaves. An “inducible” promoteris a promoter that is under environmental control or is induced inresponse to chemical or hormonal stimuli. Examples of environmentalconditions that may effect transcription by inducible promoters includeanaerobic conditions or the presence of light. Examples of chemicalsthat induce expression including salicyclic acid and ABA.Tissue-specific, tissue-preferred, cell type specific, and induciblepromoters constitute the class of “non-constitutive” promoters. A“constitutive” promoter is a promoter that is active under mostenvironmental conditions and in all cells.

1. Inducible Promoters

An inducible promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression incorn. Optionally, the inducible promoter is operably linked to anucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence that is operably linkedto a gene for expression in corn. With an inducible promoter the rate oftranscription increases in response to an inducing agent. Any induciblepromoter can be used in the instant invention. A particularly preferredinducible promoter is a promoter that responds to an inducing agent towhich plants do not normally respond. An exemplary inducible promoter isthe inducible promoter from a steroid hormone gene, the transcriptionalactivity of which is induced by a glucocorticosteroid hormone.

2. Constitutive Promoters

A constitutive promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression incorn or the constitutive promoter is operably linked to a nucleotidesequence encoding a signal sequence, which is operably linked to a genefor expression in corn. Many different constitutive promoters can beused in the present invention. Exemplary constitutive promoters include,but are not limited to, the promoters from plant viruses such as the 35Spromoter from CaMV and the promoters from such genes as rice actin,maize ubiquitin, and corn H3 histone. Also, the ALS promoter, aXbaI/NcoI fragment 5′ to the Brassica napus ALS3 structural gene (or anucleotide sequence that has substantial sequence similarlity to theXbaI/NcoI fragment) represents a particularly useful constitutivepromoter.

3. Tissue-Specific or Tissue-Preferred Promoters

A tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to a gene for expressionin corn. Optionally, the tissue-specific promoter is operably linked toa nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence, which is operablylinked to a gene for expression in corn. Plants transformed with a geneof interest operably linked to a tissue-specific promoter produce theprotein product of the transgene exclusively, or preferentially, in aspecific tissue. Any tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter can beutilized in the instant invention. Exemplary tissue-specific ortissue-preferred promoters include, but are not limited to, aseed-preferred promoter such as that from the phaseolin gene; aleaf-specific and light-induced promoter such as that from cab orrubisco; an anther-specific promoter such as that from LAT52; a pollenspecific promoter such as that from Zm13 or a microspore-preferredpromoter such as that from apg.

C. Signal Sequences for Targeting Proteins to Subcellular Compartments

Transport of protein produced by transgenes to a subcellular compartmentsuch as the chloroplast, vacuole, peroxisome, glyoxysome, cell wall ormitochondrion, or for secretion into the apoplast, is accomplished bymeans of operably linking the nucleotide sequence encoding a signalsequence to the 5′ and/or 3′ region of a gene encoding the protein ofinterest. Targeting sequences at the 5′ and/or 3′ end of the structuralgene may determine, during protein synthesis and processing, where theencoded protein is ultimately compartmentalized. The presence of asignal sequence directs a polypeptide to either an intracellularorganelle or subcellular compartment or for secretion to the apoplast.Any signal sequence known in the art is contemplated by the presentinvention.

D. Foreign Protein Genes and Agronomic Genes

With transgenic plants, according to the present invention, a foreignprotein can be produced in commercial quantities. Thus, techniques forthe selection and propagation of transformed plants, which are wellunderstood in the art, yield a plurality of transgenic plants that areharvested in a conventional manner, and a foreign protein then can beextracted from a tissue of interest or from total biomass. Proteinextraction from plant biomass can be accomplished by known methods.

According to a preferred embodiment, the transgenic plant provided forcommercial production of foreign protein is corn. In another preferredembodiment, the biomass of interest is seed. For the relatively smallnumber of transgenic plants that show higher levels of expression, agenetic map can be generated, primarily via conventional RestrictionFragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs), Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)analysis, and Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs), which identify theapproximate chromosomal location of the integrated DNA molecule. Forexemplary methodologies in this regard, see Glick and Thompson, Methodsin Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology pp. 269-284 (CRC Press,Inc., Boca Raton, Fla. 1993). Map information concerning chromosomallocation is useful for proprietary protection of a subject transgenicplant. If unauthorized propagation is undertaken and crosses are madewith other germplasm, the map of the integration region can be comparedto similar maps for suspect plants, to determine if the latter have acommon parentage with the subject plant. Map comparisons would involvehybridizations, RFLPs, PCRs, SSRs, and sequencing, all of which areconventional techniques.

Likewise, by means of the present invention, agronomic genes can beexpressed in transformed plants. More particularly, plants can begenetically engineered to express various phenotypes of agronomicinterest. Exemplary genes implicated in this regard include, but are notlimited to:

1. Genes that Confer Resistance to Pests or Disease and that Encode:

(a) Plant disease resistance genes. Plant defenses are often activatedby specific interaction between the product of a disease resistance gene(R) in the plant and the product of a corresponding avirulence (Avr)gene in the pathogen. A plant variety can be transformed with clonedresistance gene to engineer plants that are resistant to specificpathogen strains. See, for example, Jones et al., Science 266:789 (1994)(cloning of the tomato Cf-9 gene for resistance to Cladosporium fulvum);Martin et al., Science 262:1432 (1993) (tomato Pto gene for resistanceto Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato encodes a protein kinase); Mindrinoset al., Cell 78:1089 (1994) (Arabidopsis RSP2 gene for resistance toPseudomonas syringae).

(b) A Bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof or asynthetic polypeptide modeled thereon. See, for example, Geiser et al.,Gene 48:109 (1986), who disclose the cloning and nucleotide sequence ofa Bt δ-endotoxin gene. Moreover, DNA molecules encoding δ-endotoxingenes can be purchased from American Type Culture Collection (Rockville,Md.), for example, under ATCC Accession Nos. 40098, 67136, 31995 and31998.

(c) A lectin. See, for example, the disclosure by Van Damme et al.,Plant Molec. Biol. 24:25 (1994), who disclose the nucleotide sequencesof several Clivia miniata mannose-binding lectin genes.

(d) A vitamin-binding protein such as avidin. See PCT applicationUS93/06487 the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference. The application teaches the use of avidin and avidinhomologues as larvicides against insect pests.

(e) An enzyme inhibitor, for example, a protease inhibitor or an amylaseinhibitor. See, for example, Abe et al., J. Biol. Chem. 262:16793 (1987)(nucleotide sequence of rice cysteine proteinase inhibitor), Huub etal., Plant Molec. Biol. 21:985 (1993) (nucleotide sequence of cDNAencoding tobacco proteinase inhibitor I), and Sumitani et al., Biosci.Biotech. Biochem. 57:1243 (1993) (nucleotide sequence of Streptomycesnitrosporeus α-amylase inhibitor).

(f) An insect-specific hormone or pheromone such as an ecdysteroid andjuvenile hormone, a variant thereof, a mimetic based thereon, or anantagonist or agonist thereof. See, for example, the disclosure byHammock et al., Nature 344:458 (1990), of baculovirus expression ofcloned juvenile hormone esterase, an inactivator of juvenile hormone.

(g) An insect-specific peptide or neuropeptide which, upon expression,disrupts the physiology of the affected pest. For example, see thedisclosures of Regan, J. Biol. Chem. 269:9 (1994) (expression cloningyields DNA coding for insect diuretic hormone receptor), and Pratt etal., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 163:1243 (1989) (an allostatin isidentified in Diploptera puntata). See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,317 toTomalski et al., who disclose genes encoding insect-specific, paralyticneurotoxins.

(h) An insect-specific venom produced in nature by a snake, a wasp, etc.For example, see Pang et al., Gene 116:165 (1992), for disclosure ofheterologous expression in plants of a gene coding for a scorpioninsectotoxic peptide.

(i) An enzyme responsible for an hyperaccumulation of a monterpene, asesquiterpene, a steroid, hydroxamic acid, a phenylpropanoid derivativeor another non-protein molecule with insecticidal activity.

(j) An enzyme involved in the modification, including thepost-translational modification, of a biologically active molecule, forexample, a glycolytic enzyme, a proteolytic enzyme, a lipolytic enzyme,a nuclease, a cyclase, a transaminase, an esterase, a hydrolase, aphosphatase, a kinase, a phosphorylase, a polymerase, an elastase, achitinase and a glucanase, whether natural or synthetic. See PCTapplication WO 93/02197 in the name of Scott et al., which discloses thenucleotide sequence of a callase gene. DNA molecules that containchitinase-encoding sequences can be obtained, for example, from the ATCCunder Accession Nos. 39637 and 67152. See also Kramer et al., InsectBiochem. Molec. Biol. 23:691 (1993), who teach the nucleotide sequenceof a cDNA encoding tobacco hookworm chitinase, and Kawalleck et al.,Plant Molec. Biol. 21:673 (1993), who provide the nucleotide sequence ofthe parsley ubi4-2 polyubiquitin gene.

(k) A molecule that stimulates signal transduction. For example, see thedisclosure by Botella et al., Plant Molec. Biol. 24:757 (1994), ofnucleotide sequences for mung bean calmodulin cDNA clones, and Griess etal., Plant Physiol. 104:1467 (1994), who provide the nucleotide sequenceof a corn calmodulin cDNA clone.

(l) A hydrophobic moment peptide. See PCT application WO95/16776(disclosure of peptide derivatives of Tachyplesin that inhibit fungalplant pathogens) and PCT application WO95/18855 (teaches syntheticantimicrobial peptides that confer disease resistance), the respectivecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

(m) A membrane permease, a channel former or a channel blocker. Forexample, see the disclosure by Jaynes et al., Plant Sci. 89:43 (1993),of heterologous expression of a cecropin-β lytic peptide analog torender transgenic tobacco plants resistant to Pseudomonas solanacearum.

(n) A viral-invasive protein or a complex toxin derived therefrom. Forexample, the accumulation of viral coat proteins in transformed plantcells imparts resistance to viral infection and/or disease developmenteffected by the virus from which the coat protein gene is derived, aswell as by related viruses. See Beachy et al., Ann. Rev. Phytopathol.28:451 (1990). Coat protein-mediated resistance has been conferred upontransformed plants against alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus,tobacco streak virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y, tobacco etchvirus, tobacco rattle virus and tobacco mosaic virus. Id.

(o) An insect-specific antibody or an immunotoxin derived therefrom.Thus, an antibody targeted to a critical metabolic function in theinsect gut would inactivate an affected enzyme, killing the insect. Cf.Taylor et al., Abstract No. 497, Seventh Int'l Symposium on MolecularPlant-Microbe Interactions (Edinburgh, Scotland, 1994) (enzymaticinactivation in transgenic tobacco via production of single-chainantibody fragments).

(p) A virus-specific antibody. See, for example, Tavladoraki et al.,Nature 366:469 (1993), who show that transgenic plants expressingrecombinant antibody genes are protected from virus attack.

(q) A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a pathogenor a parasite. Thus, fungal endo α-1,4-D-polygalacturonases facilitatefungal colonization and plant nutrient release by solubilizing plantcell wall homo-α-1,4-D-galacturonate. See Lamb et al., Bio/Technology10:1436 (1992). The cloning and characterization of a gene that encodesa bean endopolygalacturonase-inhibiting protein is described by Toubartet al., Plant J. 2:367 (1992).

(r) A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a plant. Forexample, Logemann et al., Bio/Technology 10:305 (1992), have shown thattransgenic plants expressing the barley ribosome-inactivating gene havean increased resistance to fungal disease.

2. Genes that Confer Resistance to a Herbicide, for Example:

(a) A herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such as animidazalinone or a sulfonylurea. Exemplary genes in this category codefor mutant ALS and AHAS enzyme as described, for example, by Lee et al.,EMBO J. 7:1241 (1988), and Miki et al., Theor. Appl. Genet. 80:449(1990), respectively.

(b) Glyphosate (resistance imparted by mutant5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSP) and aroA genes,respectively) and other phosphono compounds such as glufosinate(phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT) and Streptomyceshygroscopicus phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (bar) genes), andpyridinoxy or phenoxy proprionic acids and cyclohexones (ACCaseinhibitor-encoding genes). See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,835 toShah et al., which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a form of EPSPthat can confer glyphosate resistance. A DNA molecule encoding a mutantaroA gene can be obtained under ATCC accession No. 39256, and thenucleotide sequence of the mutant gene is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,769,061 to Comai. European Patent Application No. 0333033 to Kumada etal. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,374 to Goodman et al. disclose nucleotidesequences of glutamine synthetase genes that confer resistance toherbicides such as L-phosphinothricin. The nucleotide sequence of aphosphinothricin-acetyl-transferase gene is provided in Europeanapplication No. 0 242 246 to Leemans et al., while De Greef et al.,Bio/Technology 7:61 (1989), describe the production of transgenic plantsthat express chimeric bar genes coding for phospinothricin acetyltransferase activity. Exemplary of genes conferring resistance tophenoxy proprionic acids and cyclohexones, such as sethoxydim andhaloxyfop, are the Acc1-S1, Acc1-S2 and Acc1-S3 genes described byMarshall et al., Theor. Appl. Genet. 83:435 (1992).

(c) A herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine (psbAand gs+ genes) and a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene). Przibilla et al.,Plant Cell 3:169 (1991), describe the transformation of Chlamydomonaswith plasmids encoding mutant psbA genes. Nucleotide sequences fornitrilase genes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 to Stalker, andDNA molecules containing these genes are available under ATCC AccessionNos. 53435, 67441 and 67442. Cloning and expression of DNA coding for aglutathione S-transferase is described by Hayes et al., Biochem. J.285:173 (1992).

3. Genes that Confer or Contribute to a Value-added Trait, such as:

(a) Modified fatty acid metabolism, for example, by transforming a plantwith an antisense gene of stearoyl-ACP desaturase to increase stearicacid content of the plant. See Knultzon et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.U.S.A. 89:2624 (1992).

(b) Decreased phytate content:

(i) Introduction of a phytase-encoding gene would enhance breakdown ofphytate, adding more free phosphate to the transformed plant. Forexample, see Van Hartingsveldt et al., Gene 127:87 (1993), for adisclosure of the nucleotide sequence of an Aspergillus niger phytasegene.

(ii) A gene could be introduced that reduces phytate content. In corn,this, for example, could be accomplished by cloning and thenreintroducing DNA associated with the single allele, which isresponsible for corn mutants characterized by low levels of phytic acid.See Raboy et al., Maydica 35:383 (1990).

(iii) Modified carbohydrate composition effected, for example, bytransforming plants with a gene coding for an enzyme that alters thebranching pattern of starch. See Shiroza et al., J. Bacteriol. 170:810(1988) (nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus mutans fructosyltransferasegene), Steinmetz et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 200:220 (1985) (nucleotidesequence of Bacillus subtillus levansucrase gene), Pen et al.,Bio/Technology 10:292 (1992) (production of transgenic plants thatexpress Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase), Elliot et al., Plant Molec.Biol. 21:515 (1993) (nucleotide sequences of tomato invertase genes),Sogaard et al., J. Biol. Chem. 268:22480 (1993) (site-directedmutagenesis of barley α-amylase gene), and Fisher et al., Plant.Physiol. 102:1045 (1993) (corn endosperm starch branching enzyme II).

E. Methods for Corn Transformation

Numerous methods for plant transformation have been developed, includingbiological and physical, plant transformation protocols. See, forexample, Miki et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA intoPlants,” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, B. R.Glick and J. E. Thompson, Eds. (CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla. 1993)pp. 67-88. In addition, expression vectors and in vitro culture methodsfor plant cell or tissue transformation and regeneration of plants areavailable. See, for example, Gruber et al., “Vectors for PlantTransformation,” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology andBiotechnology, B. R. Glick and J. E. Thompson, Eds. (CRC Press, Inc.,Boca Raton, Fla. 1993) pp. 89-119.

1. Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation

One method for introducing an expression vector into plants is based onthe natural transformation system of Agrobacterium. See, for example,Horsch et al., Science 227:1229 (1985). A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenesare plant pathogenic soil bacteria that genetically transform plantcells. The Ti and Ri plasmids of A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes,respectively, carry genes responsible for genetic transformation of theplant. See, for example, C. I. Kado, Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 10:1 (1991).Descriptions of Agrobacterium vector systems and methods forAgrobacterium-mediated gene transfer are provided by Gruber et al.,supra, Miki et al., supra, and Moloney et al., Plant Cell Reports 8:238(1989). See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616, issued Jan. 7, 1997.

2. Direct Gene Transfer

Despite the fact the host range for Agrobacterium-mediatedtransformation is broad, some major cereal crop species and gymnospermshave generally been recalcitrant to this mode of gene transfer, eventhough some success has recently been achieved in rice and corn. Hiei etal., The Plant Journal 6:271-282 (1994); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616,issued Jan. 7, 1997. Several methods of plant transformation,collectively referred to as “direct gene transfer,” have been developedas an alternative to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

A generally applicable method of plant transformation ismicroprojectile-mediated transformation, wherein DNA is carried on thesurface of microprojectiles measuring 1 μm to 4 μm (see, e.g., U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,550,318; 5,736,369, 5,538,880; and PCT Publication WO 95/06128).The expression vector is introduced into plant tissues with a biolisticdevice that accelerates the microprojectiles to speeds of 300 m/s to 600m/s, which is sufficient to penetrate plant cell walls and membranes.Sanford et al., Part. Sci. Technol. 5:27 (1987), J. C. Sanford, TrendsBiotech. 6:299 (1988), Klein et al., Bio/Technology 6:559-563 (1988), J.C. Sanford, Physiol. Plant 79:206 (1990), Klein et al., Bio/Technology10:268 (1992). In corn, several target tissues can be bombarded withDNA-coated microprojectiles in order to produce transgenic plants,including, for example, callus (Type I or Type II), immature embryos,and meristematic tissue.

Another method for physical delivery of DNA to plants is sonication oftarget cells. Zhang et al., Bio/Technology 9:996 (1991). Alternatively,liposome or spheroplast fusion have been used to introduce expressionvectors into plants. Deshayes et al., EMBO J. 4:2731 (1985), Christou etal., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84:3962 (1987). Direct uptake of DNAinto protoplasts using CaCl₂ precipitation, polyvinyl alcohol orpoly-L-ornithine have also been reported. Hain et al., Mol. Gen. Genet.199:161 (1985) and Draper et al., Plant Cell Physiol. 23:451 (1982).Electroporation of protoplasts and whole cells and tissues have alsobeen described. U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,253 and Donn et al., in Abstracts ofVIIth International Congress on Plant Cell and Tissue Culture, IAPTC,A2-38, p. 53 (1990); D'Halluin et al., Plant Cell 4:1495-1505 (1992) andSpencer et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 24:51-61 (1994).

Other methods that have been described for the genetic transformation ofcorn include, electrotransformation (U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,003) andsilicon carbide fiber-mediated transformation (U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,532and U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,765).

Following transformation of corn target tissues, expression of theabove-described selectable marker genes allows for preferentialselection of transformed cells, tissues and/or plants, usingregeneration and selection methods now well known in the art. Forexample, transformed corn immature embryos.

The foregoing methods for transformation would typically be used forproducing transgenic inbred lines. Transgenic inbred lines could then becrossed, with another (non-transformed or transformed) inbred line, inorder to produce a transgenic hybrid corn plant. Alternatively, agenetic trait that has been engineered into a particular corn line usingthe foregoing transformation techniques could be moved into another lineusing traditional backcrossing techniques that are well known in theplant breeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach could be usedto move an engineered trait from a public, non-elite line into an eliteline, or from a hybrid corn plant containing a foreign gene in itsgenome into a line or lines that do not contain that gene.

IX. Genetic Complements

In addition to phenotypic observations, a plant can also be described byits genotype. The genotype of a plant can be described through a geneticmarker profile, which can identify plants of the same variety, a relatedvariety or be used to determine or to validate a pedigree. Geneticmarker profiles can be obtained by techniques such as RestrictionFragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs), Randomly Amplified PolymorphicDNAs (RAPDs), Arbitrarily Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), DNAAmplification Fingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized AmplifiedRegions (SCARS), Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), SimpleSequence Repeats (SSRs), which are also referred to as Microsatellites,and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), Isozyme Electrophoresis andIsolelectric Focusing. For example, see Berry, Don, et al., “AssessingProbability of Ancestry Using Simple Sequence Repeat Profiles:Applications to Corn Hybrids and Inbreds,” Genetics 2002, 161:813-824,which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Particular markers used for these purposes are not limited to the set ofmarkers disclosed herewithin, but are envisioned to include any type ofgenetically stable marker and marker profile, which provides a means ofdistinguishing varieties. In addition to being used for identificationof inbred parents, a hybrid produced through the use of LLH37 or itsparents, and identification or verification of the pedigree of progenyplants produced through the use of LLH37, the genetic marker profile isalso useful in breeding and developing backcross conversions.

Means of performing genetic marker profiles using SSR polymorphisms arewell known in the art. SSRs are genetic markers based on polymorphismsin repeated nucleotide sequences, such as microsatellites. The phrase“simple sequence repeats” or “SSRs” refers to di-, tri- ortetra-nucleotide repeats within a genome. The repeat region may vary inlength between genotypes while the DNA flanking the repeat is conservedsuch that the primers will work in a plurality of genotypes. Apolymorphism between two genotypes represents repeats of differentlengths between the two flanking conserved DNA sequences. A markersystem based on SSRs can be highly informative in linkage analysisrelative to other marker systems in that multiple alleles may bepresent. Another advantage of this type of marker is that, through useof flanking primers, detection of SSRs can be achieved, for example, bythe polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR® detection is done by theuse of two oligonucleotide primers flanking the polymorphic segment ofrepetitive DNA followed by DNA amplification. This step involvesrepeated cycles of heat denaturation of the DNA followed by annealing ofthe primers to their complementary sequences at low temperatures, andextension of the annealed primers with DNA polymerase. Size separationof DNA fragments on agarose or polyacrylamide gels followingamplification, comprises the major part of the methodology.

DNA isolation and amplification were performed in the present inventionas follows. DNA was extracted from plant leaf tissue using DNEASY® 96Plant Kit from Qiagen, Inc. (Valencia, Calif., U.S.A.) following anoptimized September 2002 manufacturer's protocol. PCR amplificationswere performed using a Quiagen HOTSTAR™ Taq master mix in an 8 μlreaction format as follows: 2 μl DNA (5 ng/μL+6 μL of master mix). ThePCR conditions were as follows: 12 minutes at 95° C., 40 cycles of 5seconds at 94° C., 15 seconds at 55° C., 30 seconds at 72° C., 30minutes at 72° C., followed by cooling to 4° C. Following isolation andamplification, markers can be scored by gel electrophoresis of theamplification products. Scoring of marker genotype is based on the sizeof the amplified fragment as measured by molecular weight (MW) roundedto the nearest integer. Multiple samples, comprised of fluorescentlylabeled DNA fragments were processed in an ABI 3700 capillary-basedmachine and precise allele sizing and locus genotyping were done byrunning GENESCAN® and Genotyper software (PE Applied Biosystems, FosterCity, Calif.). When comparing lines, it is preferable if all SSRprofiles are performed in the same lab. An SSR service is available tothe public on a contractual basis by Paragen, Research Triangle Park,N.C. (formerly Celera AgGen of Davis, Calif.). Primers used for the SSRssuggested herein are publicly available and may be found in the CornGenetics and Genomics Database on the Internet located on the World-WideWeb at maizegdb.org, in Sharopova et al. (Plant Mol. Biol.48(5-6):463-481), Lee et al. (Plant Mol. Biol. 48(5-6):453-461). Thechromosome locations on which such markers are located and the locationon such chromosome are generally reported in the Database. SSRinformation is provided in Table 5.

A genetic marker profile of an inbred may be predictive of the agronomictraits of a hybrid produced using that inbred. For example, if an inbredof known genetic marker profile and phenotype is crossed with a secondinbred of known genetic marker profile and phenotype, it is possible topredict the phenotype of the F₁ hybrid based on the combined geneticmarker profiles of the parent inbreds. Methods for prediction of hybridperformance from genetic marker data are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,492,547, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety. Such predictions may be made using anysuitable laboratory-based techniques for the analysis, comparison andcharacterization of plant genotype.

The most widely used of these laboratory techniques are IsozymeElectrophoresis and RFLPs as discussed in Lee, M., “Inbred Lines of Cornand Their Molecular Markers,” The Corn Handbook (Springer-Verlag, NewYork, Inc. 1994, at pp. 423-432) incorporated herein by reference.Isozyme Electrophoresis is a useful tool in determining geneticcomposition, although it has a relatively low number of availablemarkers and a low number of allelic variants among corn inbreds. RFLPshave the advantage of revealing an exceptionally high degree of allelicvariation in corn and the number of available markers is almostlimitless. The present invention provides a genetic complement of theinbred corn plant variety designated LLH37. Further provided by theinvention is a hybrid genetic complement, wherein the complement isformed by the combination of a haploid genetic complement from LLH37 andanother haploid genetic complement. Means for determining such a geneticcomplement are well-known in the art.

As used herein, the phrase “genetic complement” means an aggregate ofnucleotide sequences, the expression of which defines the phenotype of acorn plant or a cell or a tissue of that plant. By way of example, acorn plant is genotyped to determine a representative sample of theinherited markers it possesses. Markers are alleles at a single locus.They are preferably inherited in a codominant fashion so that thepresence of both alleles at a diploid locus is readily detectable andthey are free of environmental variation, i.e., their heritability is 1.This genotyping is preferably performed on at least one generation ofthe descendant plant for which the numerical value of the quantitativetrait(s) of interest are also determined. The array of single locusgenotypes is expressed as a profile of marker alleles, two at eachlocus. The marker allelic composition of each locus can be eitherhomozygous or heterozygous. Homozygosity is a condition where bothalleles at a locus are characterized by the same nucleotide sequence orsize of a repeated sequence. Heterozygosity refers to differentconditions of the gene at a locus.

The SSR genetic marker profile of inbred LLH37 was determined. Becausean inbred is essentially homozygous at all relevant loci, an inbredshould, in almost all cases, have both the alleles of one size at eachlocus. In contrast, a diploid genetic marker profile of a hybrid shouldbe the sum of those parents, e.g., if one inbred parent had the allele168 (base pairs) at a particular locus, and the other inbred parent had172, the hybrid is 168, 172 by inference. Subsequent generations ofprogeny produced by selection and breeding are expected to be ofgenotype 168, 172, or 168, 172 for that locus by inference. When the F₁plant is used to produce an inbred, the locus should be either 168 or172 for that position. Surprisingly, it has been observed that incertain instances, novel SSR genotypes arise during the breedingprocess. For example, a genotype of 170 may be observed at a particularlocus position from the cross of parental inbreds with 168 and 172 atthat locus. Such a novel SSR genotype may further define an inbred plantfrom the parental inbreds from which it was derived. An SSR geneticmarker profile of LLH37 is presented in Table 5, wherein representativemeasured fragment lengths of alleles are given.

TABLE 5 SYO705W Public Name Measured Fragment Of Marker Length BNLG1179209.1 BNLG1614 168.8 BNLG1866 114.0 BNLG1811 188.8 PHI109275 126.5BNLG1643 131.7 UMC1128 153.0 UMC1306 128.0 PHI265454 230.5 UMC1064 143.1UMC1797 103.0 PHI402893 233.8 UMC1542 136.1 UMC1776 134.5 BNLG1138 181.7BNLG1633 162.9 PHI083 125.8 BNLG1169 232.1 UMC1525 136.1 PHI453121 211.9UMC1394 93.9 BNLG420 72.1 PHI029 151.8 BNLG1350 123.2 BNLG1160 131.9PHI046 60.4 UMC1813 120.5 UMC1136 136.2 PHI072 142.0 UMC1008 155.5UMC1757 155.0 UMC1509 133.1 NC004 138.6 BNLG1189 218.5 UMC1964 138.3UMC1662 107.5 PHI079 186.4 UMC1382 143.6 BNLG589 149.9 PHI066 154.2UMC1940 102.7 UMC1101 128.8 UMC1180 102.0 UMC1050 101.8 UMC1097 100.8UMC1478 134.9 PHI113 130.0 BNLG1902 220.1 BNLG278 81.3 PHI101 93.5UMC1225 130.2 UMC1153 101.9 BNLG238 151.2 UMC1857 144.5 UMC1795 139.9PHI123 147.9 UMC1695 127.1 BNLG657 113.3 UMC1944 123.1 DUP013 144.8PHI082 120.1 PHI116 165.9 UMC1327 78.2 UMC1075 135.0 PHI119 160.8 PHI125107.4 UMC1149 118.8 UMC1724 135.1 BNLG1056 88.3 PHI015 95.3 BNLG1810104.1 PHI1044 82.2 PHI1033 249.9 DUP006 106.4 PHI027 147.7 PHI016 153.0UMC1357 169.9 UMC1310 119.4 BNLG1129 195.5 UMC1380 152.6 UMC1152 159.8UMC1576 102.1 BNLG1079 175.6 PHI084 157.3 UMC1506 120.6 PHI035 136.2UMC1196 157.8

The present invention also provides a hybrid genetic complement formedby the combination of a haploid genetic complement of the corn plantLLH37 with a haploid genetic complement of a second corn plant. Meansfor combining a haploid genetic complement from the foregoing inbredwith another haploid genetic complement may comprise any method forproducing a hybrid plant from LLH37. It is contemplated that such ahybrid genetic complement can be prepared using in vitro regeneration ofa tissue culture of a hybrid plant of this invention.

In addition, plants and plant parts substantially benefiting from theuse of LLH37 in their development, such as LLH37 comprising a backcrossconversion, or transgene, may be identified by having a molecular markerprofile with a high percent identity to LLH37. Such a percent identitymight be 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or99.9% identical to LLH37.

The SSR profile of LLH37 also can be used to identify derived varietiesand other progeny lines developed from the use of LLH37, as well ascells and other plant parts thereof. Progeny plants and plant partsproduced using LLH37 may be identified by having a molecular markerprofile of at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%,75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%,92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 99.5% genetic contributionfrom corn plant LLH37.

All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in thespecification are indicative of the level of those skilled in the art towhich this invention pertains. All such publications, patents and patentapplications are incorporated by reference herein to the same extent asif each was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporatedby reference herein.

The foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way ofillustration and example for purposes of clarity and understanding.However, it should be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in theart that certain changes and modifications such as single genemodifications and mutations, somoclonal variants, variant individualsselected from large populations of the plants of the instant inbred, andthe like, may be practiced within the scope of the invention, as limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thetrue concept, spirit, and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. Seed of corn inbred line designated LLH37,representative seed of the line having been deposited under ATCCAccession No. PTA-9808.
 2. The seed of claim 1, further comprising acoating.
 3. A substantially homogenous composition of the corn seed ofclaim
 1. 4. A method for producing inbred corn seed, the methodcomprising: planting the seed of claim 1; growing a plant from the seedunder pollinating conditions; and harvesting resultant seed to produceinbred corn seed.
 5. Inbred corn seed produced by the method accordingto claim
 4. 6. The method according to claim 4, further comprisingpre-treating the seed before planting the seed.
 7. The method accordingto claim 4, further comprising treating the growing plant or soilsurrounding the growing plant with an agricultural chemical.
 8. A cornplant produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 9. Pollen of the cornplant of claim
 8. 10. An ovule of the corn plant of claim
 8. 11. A cornplant, or a part thereof, having all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the corn plant of claim
 8. 12. A substantiallyhomogenous population of the corn plant of claim
 8. 13. Thesubstantially homogenous population of corn plants of claim 12, whereinthe population further comprises other, different corn plants.
 14. Amethod for producing a diploid corn plant, the method comprising:crossing the inbred corn plant of claim 8 with another, different cornplant to produce a diploid progeny plant; generating a haploid progenyplant from the diploid progeny plant; generating a further diploid cornplant from the haploid progeny plant; and selecting the further diploidcorn plant.
 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the haploidprogeny plant is generated by culturing a haploid explant from thediploid progeny plant.
 16. The method according to claim 14, wherein thehaploid progeny plant is generated by crossing the diploid progeny plantwith another, different corn plant that induces haploid corn plants. 17.The method according to claim 16, wherein the other, different cornplant comprises a haploid-inducing gene.
 18. The method according toclaim 14, wherein the further diploid corn plant is generated bysubjecting the haploid progeny plant to a treatment that induceschromosome doubling in a cultured explant.
 19. The method according toclaim 14, wherein the diploid corn plant is generated byself-pollinating the haploid progeny plant.
 20. A method for producing amutated corn plant, the method comprising: inducing a mutation in thecorn plant of claim 8; and selecting a mutated corn plant.
 21. Themethod according to claim 20, wherein the mutation is artificiallyinduced by a method selected from the group consisting of elevatedtemperature, long-term seed storage, tissue culture conditions,radiation, and chemical mutagenesis.
 22. A method for producing a plantof corn inbred line LLH37, representative seed of the line having beendeposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-9808, the method comprising:planting a collection of seed, wherein the collection of seed comprisesseed of a hybrid having a plant of corn inbred line LLH37 as a parent,and wherein the collection of seed also comprises seed of corn inbredline LLH37; growing the collection of seed to produce inbred parentplants; controlling pollination in a manner that preserves thehomozygosity of an inbred parent plant in a resultant seed; andharvesting the resultant seed.
 23. The method according to claim 22,wherein inbred parent plants are identified by identifying plants withdecreased vigor grown from the collection of seed.
 24. The methodaccording to claim 22, the method further comprising sib-pollinatingplants obtained by growing the harvested resultant seed.
 25. A methodfor producing an inbred plant, the method comprising crossing the cornplant of claim 8 with a hybrid corn plant having a plant of corn inbredline LLH37, representative seed of the line having been deposited underATCC Accession No. PTA-9808, as a parent.
 26. A method for producing ahybrid corn seed, the method comprising: crossing the corn plant ofclaim 8 with a second, different inbred corn plant; and harvestingresultant hybrid corn seed.
 27. A method for producing a hybrid cornseed, the method comprising: planting in pollinating proximity seeds ofinbred corn line LLH37, representative seed of the line having beendeposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-9808, and a second, differentinbred parent corn plant; cultivating the seeds into plants that bearflowers; controlling the male fertility of at least one of the plantthat bears flowers to produce a male sterile corn plant; allowingcross-pollination to occur between the plants that bear flowers; andharvesting a seed produced on the male sterile corn plant.
 28. Themethod according to claim 27, wherein the male sterile corn plant is aplant of inbred corn line LLH37.
 29. The method according to claim 27,wherein the male sterile corn plant is a plant of the second, differentinbred parent corn plant.
 30. A hybrid corn seed produced by the methodaccording to claim
 27. 31. A hybrid corn plant grown from the hybridcorn seed of claim 30, or a part of the hybrid corn plant.
 32. A cornseed harvested from a hybrid corn plant grown from the hybrid corn seedof claim
 30. 33. A method for producing a hybrid corn seed, the methodcomprising: crossing an inbred parent corn plant that is the progeny ofa cross of the corn plant of claim 8 with another inbred corn plant,with a second, different inbred parent corn plant; and harvestingresultant hybrid corn seed.
 34. An F₁ hybrid seed produced by crossingthe corn plant of claim 8 with another, different corn plant.
 35. Ahybrid corn plant grown from the F₁ hybrid seed of claim 34, or a partof the hybrid corn plant.
 36. A method for producing a LLH37-derivedcorn plant, the method comprising: crossing inbred corn line LLH37,representative seed of the line having been deposited under ATCCAccession No. PTA-9808, with a second corn plant to yield progeny cornseed; and growing the progeny corn seed to yield the LLH37-derived cornplant.
 37. An LLH37-derived corn plant produced by the method accordingto claim 36, or a part of the LLH37-derived corn plant.
 38. The methodaccording to claim 36, the method further comprising: crossing theLLH37-derived corn plant with itself or another corn plant to yieldfurther progeny corn seed; growing the further progeny corn seed. 39.The method according to claim 36, the method further comprisingutilizing plant tissue culture methods and/or haploid breeding toproduce progeny of the LLH37-derived corn plant.
 40. A tissue culture ofregenerable cells or protoplasts from the corn plant of claim
 8. 41. Thetissue culture of claim 40, wherein the cells or protoplasts of thetissue culture are from a tissue selected from the group consisting ofleaves, pollen, embryos, roots, root tips, anthers, silks, flowers,kernels, ears, cobs, husks, and stalks.
 42. A corn plant regeneratedfrom the tissue culture of claim 40, wherein the corn plant has all ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics of corn inbredLLH37.
 43. A tissue culture of regenerable cells from a hybrid cornplant grown from the hybrid corn seed of claim
 30. 44. A method forregenerating a corn plant, the method comprising: culturing an explantcomprising a tissue selected from the group consisting of a tissueobtained from inbred corn plant LLH37, representative seed having beendeposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-9808, a tissue obtained from ahybrid corn plant having LLH37 as a parent, and a tissue obtained from aLLH37-derived corn plant; and initiating regeneration.
 45. The methodaccording to claim 44, wherein the explant comprises an immature tissue.46. A method for producing a male sterile LLH37 corn plant, the methodcomprising: crossing the corn plant of claim 8, with a cytoplasmic malesterile corn plant that generates haploids; identifying a haploid plant;and crossing the haploid plant with a corn plant of inbred corn lineLLH37 to produce a male sterile LLH37 corn plant.
 47. A single-crossfirst generation hybrid corn plant, or a part thereof, comprising twosets of alleles, wherein one set of the alleles is the same as the cornplant of claim 8 at all of the SSR loci listed in Table
 5. 48. A seedpart of the corn seed of claim
 1. 49. The seed part of claim 48, whereinthe seed part is selected from the group consisting of pericarp, germand endosperm.